How to choose a laminate and what to look for
When wanting to change the floor covering in a residential building or public institution, many consumers choose laminate flooring. When planning to find out how to choose a laminate, you need to study in detail its main varieties, features and characteristics.
Features and advantages of the material
Other advantages also deserve mention:
- low cost, which allows you to significantly save on repair and finishing work, which is especially important if you have a limited budget;
- resistance to mechanical stress, temperature extremes, abrasion, which increases the service life of the coating;
- unpretentious care;
- safety for human health.
The material does not cause allergic reactions, which makes it the optimal solution for decorating children's rooms.
In order to be sure of the long service life of the coating, you need to know how to choose the right laminate, as well as study its main parameters.
How to choose a laminate for certain parameters
When choosing, you should be guided by several parameters at once, which will help you choose a product that meets the necessary criteria.
Among the most important characteristics of the material, it should be noted:
- class;
- thickness;
- the type of panel connection, and substrates.
In order to find out whether a laminate with a bevel or without - which is better, you need to familiarize yourself with the varieties of such elements, their operational features.
Material class
Laminate class is an indicator that can be used to determine the durability of a product. It largely determines the properties of the material, and therefore, it is necessary to pay due attention to it when choosing.
The number corresponds to the number of revolutions during grinding, which continues until the coating is completely abraded. When studying which class of laminate is better, it should be remembered that a material that can withstand up to 11 thousand revolutions is marked as class 21-22. More resistant varieties that can withstand 11-15 thousand belong to the 23 and 31 classes.
Products of classes 32 and 33 are considered the most durable and durable, since they can withstand over 15 thousand revolutions.
Each of the classes has its own characteristics, as well as the recommended scope:
- 21 - suitable for light loads, can be used for a bedroom, storage room;
- 22 is an excellent solution for a nursery or living room, as well as other living quarters;
- 23 is another type of residential laminate used in high-traffic rooms such as a hallway or kitchen;
- 31 - commercial version, suitable for institutions with a moderate load;
- 32 - used in reception rooms, offices and other high-traffic facilities;
- 33 is an especially durable variety that can last more than 6 years. It is used in restaurants, bars, shops and other establishments.
In order for the material to meet all expectations, it is necessary to be sure that its class corresponds to the intended use.
Thickness, type of substrate and connections
Another important parameter to consider when choosing a good coating is the thickness of the laminate. Which one is better to determine is quite simple, since the larger this parameter, the more durable and stronger the selected material. For most tasks, a coating with a thickness of 8-12 mm will be the optimal solution.
The type of connection largely determines the cost of the material, as well as the ease of its installation.
Professionals commonly use the glue variety, which is affordable, but rather difficult to install. It is characterized by the absence of gaps between the panels, which avoids swelling of the coating due to moisture.
Finding out how to choose a laminate for self-installation, you should take a closer look at products with a lock type of installation. The panels are not held together with glue, which makes them suitable for repair and easier to install. At the same time, they are quite strongly susceptible to moisture, and therefore it is strongly recommended to coat the joints of the panels with glue for greater tightness.
Recommendations on how to choose a laminate
When figuring out which laminate is better, you should focus on the parameters of the material, which are always present on its packaging. It must be suitable for the purpose of use, as well as the stresses that the flooring is subjected to in a particular room.
Additional designations make it much easier to select a suitable laminate option, and also allow you to learn about the unusual properties of a particular product. A black and white lightning bolt indicates that the surface will not attract dust, making cleaning easier.
With an image of a mop, you can be sure that all the necessary maintenance of the coating is reduced to a regular wet cleaning. For greater safety, it is recommended to give preference to materials bearing the B1 mark, which indicates its non-flammability. When studying how to choose a laminate, it is strongly recommended to give preference to well-known manufacturers who have been producing products for a long time.
Particularly noteworthy is the beveled laminate, which makes it look more like a natural wood product.
Such models mask gaps, as well as height differences between individual strips, and cushion the surface. The main disadvantage of such products is poor resistance to moisture, which can lead to damage.
The choice of a suitable coating is an individual matter, since it all depends on the characteristics of the room in which its structure is planned, as well as the operating conditions. In order not to be mistaken when choosing, you will need to decide in advance on the list of requirements that the product must meet.